BAR War Stories....

[JStarStar]

Anybody ever build an Astron Streak, launch it with a C6-7 ... AND GET IT BACK??



In my early, early rocket days, 10-11 years old, back in 1968-69, I think everybody I knew tried it.

In the 5-6 years I was semi-seriously into rocketry as a kid, I bet I built a dozen of those little mofos. You had a shot to get em back if you launched it with a 1/2A6-4 or maybe an A8-5, but anything beyond that - forget it.

I mean, what the heck, how many rockets could you buy for 50 cents? So of course you always wanted to see how high it could really go. Paint it day-glow orange or something, then rack it up and let it rip.

Hasta la vista, babyyyy...!!!

 

[eugenefl]

JStarStar, welcome to TRF! I think most that have owned a Mosquito have a very similar story. Although I was never really a BAR (only out of the hobby for a few years), I do have some fond memories of launching Estes Yankees on Cs. Being minimum diameter, those suckers ripped!

 

[JStarStar]

Thanks eugene, I am sure you''ve read many, many stories from the OTD BARS like myself.

I'm currently on my 3rd rocketry career, so I guess that makes me a BABAR...

 

[stevecarr]

I don't remember the Streak, but I had a Scout that I did the same thing with.
It was the one with the hole in the side so you wouldn't blow the nose off.
I painted the fins yellow so I sould always find them sticking up.
Problem was I could never get it to tumble on recovery.
It was more like jart recovery.

 

[JStarStar]

Ahh, the Scout.. Estes K-1.

The joke was that the word "recovery" in the phrase "tumble recovery" was strictly wishful thinking.

I'm not sure, but I think when the engine ejected and slid back intto the "full back" position, the Scout actually became stable in reverse and basically would arrow dive straight in (fins first).



If you think about it, an empty rocket engine is back-heavy (because of the ceramic nozzle), so when the engine slides back to a position maybe 2" to the rear of the body tube, that would bring the CG back there too, probably further back than the CP. So the rocket would simply seek a stable attitude going straight into the ground tail first.

(I think there's a reason you don't see too many tumble recovery rockets any more. )

 

[BobH48]

Yes, I had an Estes Scout also.

I don't remember if it ever tumbled in recovery but I know I didn't have it very long.

But, the Astron Sprite did tumble very well. I built one as my very first rocket in 1966 and I still have it. When I got back into this hobby this spring, it was the first rocket I launched... on an A5-2S.

They don't make the short motors any more so I will have to launch it on selected occasions with the 5 short motors that I have left.

The Fliskits Tumbleweed looks very close to the Sprite but it is made to fly on 13mm engines.

 

[JStarStar]

I suppose you could build an adapter to let S-series (short-motor) models fly on 13mm motors. Shouldnt be too hard.

I remember I had a Sprite and it did indeed tumble. It would be fun to see it. It'd be fun if somebody would produce some S-series engines, too...

 

[BobH48]

I suppose you could build an adapter to let S-series (short-motor) models fly on 13mm motors. Shouldnt be too hard.

I did make up an adapter from a couple of centering rings and a piece of coupler tube but I haven't tried it yet.

I'm not sure how close the wieght of the adapter + 13mm empty case is to the 18mm S-series empty case and if it will make a difference in the tumble recovery.

 

[Fore Check]

Ahhh, the memories!

The Scout was one of my favorites as a kid.

Mine always tumbled well - never had a problem. I never had the nerve to launch it on a C engine - the B6-6 sent it *very* high - and I always got it back. I know I still had it, flight ready, when my folks boxed up my rockets when I moved away to college. That box has long since "disappeared" though...

Too bad, because there were a few others in that box that I really wish I still had, including some unbuilt kits.